Take Me Away
by MoonTrail
Summary: A songfic based on Tim McGraw's song, Take Me Away. Please read!!!


Disclaimer: I don't Harry Potter, or Tim McGraw, just borrowing their little worlds for my own pleasure.  
  
Okay, this is my first songfic. I hope that you like it. I am not sure if it worked exactly the way I wanted, but I will leave the final analysis to you. (Song lyrics will be denoted with as //asdfasdfasdfsdf//)  
  
Take Me Away  
  
//My body burns like there's a desert deep in me A thirsty soul so unsatisfied//  
  
The Christmas break had been tough for Draco. Tougher than normal. During the holiday, his father took him to another Death Eater meeting. However, it was not just any old meeting, it was a special meeting. He had been forced to participate in the pre-initiation trials. His insides still burned with a dull ache from the pain he had suffered.  
  
At one point, during the trials, he screamed out that he didn't want this. His father had gripped him, painfully, by the back of his neck.  
  
With his face close to Draco's ear, he coldly whispered, "You have been primed from the day you were born to be a Death Eater, this is your future."  
  
The trials continued, unabated, for two more days. Upon returning to the Malfoy Manor, he curled into a ball on his bed staying there for three days without eating or drinking. His mother, risking Lucius' anger, had finally convinced him to eat and drink something.  
  
He only consumed the items she brought when a warm tear from her eyes splashed onto his hand. Draco didn't want his mother to suffer more than she already had. Neither did he want to be the reason for her anguish.  
  
Now, back at Hogwart's, he realized how short time was. The end of the term, and the end of his life as he knew it, were on the horizon. It was time to take drastic measures.  
  
It was time to admit his change of heart.  
  
//But there you are like a river to the sea  
  
The one chance I have to change my life.. Darlin'//  
  
He watched Hermione out of the corner of his eye. They were in Potions, working on a Sour Potion. For the last year Draco had been wishing that he had never begun his feud with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Especially Hermione. Somehow his attitude towards her had changed. As he watched her, patiently explaining the potion to Neville again, he remembered why his feelings had changed.  
  
Neville was infamous for blowing up potions, melting cauldrons, spilling ingredients, basically, mayhem. Yet, no matter how many points Neville lost Gryffindor, no matter how many times he screwed things up, no matter how many times he needed help, Hermione was always there. Annoyance never crossed her features, neither did pity. She simply aided Neville as best she could.  
  
Draco couldn't remember ever having a friend like that. A friend who didn't judge. A friend who was simply there. She was like that with Harry and Ron as well. Even when the three of them disagreed, they remained friends. Nothing seemed to faze them. Sure, they'd go through spots where they wouldn't speak to each other, but those were far and few between. He knew he'd give anything to have a friend like that. But he was stuck with Crabbe and Goyle, his fellow future Death Eaters. Those two would never stick it out with Draco if he had failed in front of them. They only stuck around because of the power.  
  
The bell rang, interrupting Draco's thoughts. Hermione's elbow sent a bottle of newt eyes crashing to the floor. She sighed, shook her head at Neville's offer to help, and moved around to the clean up the spill. He watched as Neville left with Ron and Harry, the three telling her that they would save her a seat at lunch.  
  
She continued to clean up as the class emptied out.  
  
Now was his chance.  
  
//Take me away from here  
  
Make it seem like we're a million miles away  
  
Another time, another place  
  
Make me a different man  
  
Move me farther than I've ever been before  
  
Show me that there's something more //  
  
"Hermione, let me help you," he said, enjoying the sound of her name on his tongue. He knelt beside her, his hand brushing hers as he scooped up a few eyeballs.  
  
Hermione paused. She thought she recognized the voice, but their was something missing. She glanced to her right, and froze.  
  
"What do you want, Malfoy?" she hissed.  
  
Draco stopped moving. He had forgotten, for a moment, that she hated him. Not that he had ever treated her in a manner that would engender friendship.  
  
"Nothing. I just figured you could use some help."  
  
She looked at him. He sounded sincere. It suddenly occurred to her that he had called her Hermione, not mudblood. His gray eyes bore into hers with a look she couldn't quite read. If she didn't know better, it looked like he was pleading with her, for something.  
  
"I'll manage fine," she snapped, tearing herself from his gaze. She quickly finished picking up the mess, grabbed her bag and bolted. Draco remained frozen to the spot. It seemed hopeless.  
  
//Sometimes I feel like I'm trapped inside myself  
  
Spinning wheels up and down, round and round  
  
Going nowhere just like everybody else  
  
With no touch, no sight, no sound//  
  
Sighing, he stood. The wall he had so carefully built around himself appeared to be impossible to tear down. His eyes slid closed, a tear attempted to squeeze out. With effort, he pulled himself together and left the room.  
  
Head down, he whipped around the corner, running into a solid black robe.  
  
"What the hell?!" he screamed, before realizing who it was. Cinnamon brown eyes glared up at him.  
  
"Move it, Malfoy," Hermione said, attempting to move past him.  
  
"Wait," he said, stepping in front of her. "Why did you come back?" he asked, desperately hoping.  
  
"Not that it's your business, but I left my new quill on the table," she explained impatiently. "Now, move it."  
  
She tried to step around him, but he gently gripped her arm, ceasing her progress.  
  
"Let go of me," she spit, sparks flying from the wand she was gripping in her hand. "Please," he whispered, letting down all his guard. "Please, help me?"  
  
"Wh.what?" she stammered, pulling away from his grasp.  
  
"Please, help me," he repeated, this time accompanied with silent tears, as he leaned against the cold stonewall.  
  
//Take me away from here  
  
Make it seem like we're a million miles away  
  
Another time, another place  
  
Make me a different man  
  
Move me farther than I've ever been before  
  
Show me that there's something more//  
  
Hermione stared. Could this really be Draco Malfoy, the arrogant, the proud, the perfect? As she stood, watching tears course down his pain- filled face, she felt her heart lurch.  
  
"What's the matter?" she asked.  
  
Draco slid in a defeated heap to the ground, deep, wrenching sobs echoing through the empty hallway. Before she knew what was happening, she had her arms wrapped around him. Softly she hummed a tuneless melody, gently rocking him. Slowly his sobs abated.  
  
When he finally looked up, he saw that Hermione had tears running freely down her face. She looked into his eyes and, for the first time, he saw something besides hate in her eyes directed at him. He saw compassion, true compassion.  
  
They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments longer. Hermione broke the silence first.  
  
"Mal.Draco, we should move out of the hallway before someone comes looking for us."  
  
He knew she really meant her, after all, they both knew his friends could care less. With a nod, he shakily pushed himself up, grateful for the steadying hand Hermione provided.  
  
They moved down the hallway and found an unused classroom. Hermione shut the door, quietly performing a locking spell, and turned to look at Draco.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she quietly said, "What's going on?"  
  
Before he could stop, he began to spill out all his pain. He told her about the horrors that he faced every time he went home; the physical and emotional abuse his father heaped on himself and his mother. Tears were once again freely flowing down his.  
  
He couldn't stop, he told her about the horrible things his father had made him do. The tortures and murders he had been forced to help perform, the tortures he himself had had to endure. He feared he was telling her too much, but he still continued.  
  
Somehow, they found themselves sitting in the window seat of the classroom her warm hands tightly gripping his ice cold ones. After talking for another hour, he stopped.  
  
When he looked up, he saw that she had once again been crying. She looked at him for a moment longer.  
  
"Draco, why are you telling me this?"  
  
He studied her eyes for a minute.  
  
//Give me hopes and dreams to fill my head  
  
Push my heart so I can fly again //  
  
"I need your help," he pleaded.  
  
"My help? What do you mean?"  
  
For a long moment, Draco looked into her eyes. He saw a mixture of confusion and deep compassion in them. Taking a deep steadying breath, he answered. "I need a friend, a true friend. I have watched you this last year," he admitted.  
  
Hermione looked down at her hands, hands that were tightly gripping Draco's. Looking back up, she watched his eyes, waiting for him to continue.  
  
"You have always been there for your friends. Even when they treated you badly. Even when they weren't there for you. You never gave up on them. I've never had a friend like that," he explained.  
  
"You want to be my friend?" she questioned.  
  
"Yes. Maybe more," he murmured, looking away for a moment before returning to gaze steadily into her shocked eyes.  
  
"What do you mean, 'maybe more'?" she asked, slowly pulling her hands from his.  
  
"Exactly what I said," he whispered, his voice dropping even lower.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I know you can help me. I know you can help me to become a better person. I know that you are strong enough, good enough, kind enough, to help me," he practically pleaded.  
  
//Take me away from here  
  
Make it seem like we're a million miles away  
  
Another time, another place  
  
Make me a different man  
  
Move me farther than I've ever been before  
  
Show me that there's something more//  
  
"Draco, I'm willing to try a friendship with you, but I can't make any promises beyond that," she finally conceded, breaking a long silence.  
  
He reached for her hands, once again gripping them tightly in his.  
  
"I can live with that, for now," he said, the first hint of a smile caressing his face.  
  
//Take me away from here  
  
Take me away from here  
  
Take me away from here// ________________________________________________________________________  
  
So, what do you think? Please review!!!! PLEASE? I am possible thinking about using this songfic to launch a full-fledged story, but only if it gets good enough reviews.  
  
Also, I am not entirely happy with the following sentence:  
  
Draco slid in a defeated heap to the ground, deep, wrenching sobs echoing through the empty hallway.  
  
If you have a suggestion, please post it. Thanks for reading. =) 


End file.
